Ubuntu – Cannot Unbind Super Key from Unity

compizunity

Due to a graphics card compatibility issue using CrunchBang, I was told that my best option would be to move to 12.04 LTS. I'm trying to get everything configured and personalized the way I'm used to things, but am having some issues with unbinding default Unity shortcuts.

I'm used to having all my shortcuts routed through the super key (T for Terminal, W for Web, Up for increased opacity, and so on). I've followed instructions to install compizconfig-settings-manager, and did an advanced search for all keyboard shortcuts binding to the super key, including the Unity shortcuts, but Unity still seems to listen for that keypress, and thus neither compiz nor the keybindings set up in system prefs -> keyboard receive the commands I give them.

(I did try also to simply change the unity launcher key instead of disabling it as shown below — neither worked)

I've told Unity to chill, but it won't.

Best Answer

Believe Unsettings will let you do that.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:diesch/testing
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install unsettings

Related Solutions

Ubuntu – Can I disable the F10 key for all apps without CCSM

CCSM is mostly a GUI front-end which writes its values to the gconf database.

You can use gconf-editor to edit the compiz unity plugin options:

enter image description here

As you can see in the image - the F10 key is associated with the panel option located in the gconf path /apps/compiz-1/plugins/unityshell/screen0/options/panel_first_menu

Thus you can change this to another key value - or write the value Disabled to disable the F10 key altogether.

If you want to reassign the key, you can use the modifiers in combination to perform multikey shortcuts:

<super> for the WIN key
<alt> for the ALT key
<shift> for the SHIFT key

For some options you need to logout and login for the changes to take effect.

If you want to reassign/disable from the command line you can use the syntax:

gconftool-2 --set '/apps/compiz-1/plugins/unityshell/screen0/options/panel_first_menu' --type string 'Disabled'

Ubuntu – Unity hates the super key

It appears the package dell-super-key is the culprit. I presume there is a hotkey combination to disable the super key on Windows and Dell wrote a shim to extend this functionality to the dev edition.

I however, cannot find any key combination that I could've pressed to clear the lock.

EDIT:

Oddly enough this is intended behavior.

mikey@mikey-XPS:~$ apt-cache search dell-super-key
dell-super-key - Disables the super key by default.

I found (dpkg -l) and emailed the package maintainer, Dell is legally required to include this package on their sputnik devices. It is safe to remove, and can be reinstalled from the recovery partition.

Best Answer

Related Solutions

Ubuntu – Can I disable the F10 key for all apps without CCSM

Ubuntu – Unity hates the super key

Related Question